shoji

Where does the word "shoji" come from? It comes from Japanese shoji, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Shoji’s story begins in Japanese: shoji meant “a paper sliding screen.” A sliding screen of translucent paper over a wooden frame. It reached English by 1900s as shoji. Translucent paper panels in wooden frames, admired by Frank Lloyd Wright. Today, shoji means a traditional Japanese sliding door or screen made of translucent paper.

1. Stage 1 · Japanese · medieval shoji "a paper sliding screen", a sliding screen of translucent paper over a wooden frame.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s shoji "a traditional Japanese sliding paper screen", translucent paper panels in wooden frames, admired by Frank Lloyd Wright.